Heating-furnace.



J. A. $WINDELL.

HEATING FURNACE. I

- APPLICATION FILED JULY 30.1014.

Patented Feb. 2; 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES J. A. SWINDBLL.

HEATING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. 1914 Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 3.

WITNESSES Wflalm M J, A. SWINDELL.

HEATING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1914,

ED STATS JOHN ALBERT SWINDELL, or PITTSBURGH, Pennsn'vama HEATING-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed July 3Q, 1914. Serial No. 854,094.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALBERT SWINDELL, aeitizen'of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Heating-Furnaces, of which'the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of vin this specification, in which Fi ure 1 is a horizontal section of a heat-.

urnace embodying my invention; Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, partly broken away, through one of the feeder bars; Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing the charging end of the furnace; F gs. 6 and 7 are detail views showing a portion of one of the charging devices in two differ- ,ent positions; Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 7;Figr9 is a sectional view showing one of the charging devices in still another position; Figs. 10 and 11 are sections taken, respectively, on the lines X X and XI-XI of Fig. 9; and'Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing a modified arrangement for discharging the blank.

My invention has relation to heatin furnaces and particularly to that class 0 furnaces known as blank-heating furnaces,

and which are designed for the'heating of billets and other blanks.

The invention has particular relation to means for feeding billets or blanks through the heating chamber of the furnace. It also provides means of this character which can be operated to effect an automatic discharge of the billets or blanks at the discharge end of the furnace. It also provides means whereby the charging doors of the furnace may be automatically opened and closed in proper timed relation to the movements of the feedingmechanisms.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich I have shown the referred embodiment of my invention, t e numeral '2- designates the wall of a heating furnace having the main heating chamber 3and the extension or preheating. chamber 4. My invention is not limited in its application to any particular type of furnace. and. that shown is for the purpose of illustration only. Reference to my Patent No. 1,094,611. dated April 28, 1914, may-be had for a drawings, I have shown two of these feeder members or bars, arranged in parallel relation, but either one or any other desired number may be employed, according to the particular furnace. Each of these members or bars preferably consists of a body portion of metal, such as cast iron, and having the surface'covering 5 of refractory material. They are preferably water-cooled by having suitable passagesor spaces therein for the circulation of water. In the drawings, I have shown water-circulating pipes 8, cast therein and having suitable circulating connections, such as indicated at 9. These members work in. longitudinal pits or troughs 10, in the floor of the furnace, which are preferably provided with metal linings 11, which. may also be watercooled, as indicated at 12.

Each'of the members 5 is supported by and arranged to travel longitudinally upon a series of rollers 13, journaled in dependmg brackets 14 and arranged to travel on the floor portion of the lining 11. Each of said members is also provided with a number of depending swinging yokes 15, pivoted to the under side thereof at 16, and

"having rollers 17 journaled at their lower ends. These rollers are also arranged to travel on the floor portions of the linings 11. These yokes are of such length that when the feeder bars are in normal positions, with the upper surfaces of their refractory coverings 5 somewhat below the floor level of the heating chambers 3 and 4, they Will assume oblique positions, as shown in Fig. 2. In these positions, they will be adjacent to or resting against shoulders or raised projections 18. formed on said floors,

.with a depression 19 behind each projection. The members 5 may bereciprocated by any suitable motive means. as by connections 20 with hydraulic cylinders 21.

In operation, the'billets or other blanks -wardly, the rollers 17 on theyokes 1(S ,.-,will f.

engage with the shoulders orprolect o'ns18. I I I 'loo'fs'ely through an elongatedslot 33, in an (indicated at A in the drawings) are placed on the members 5, in'spaced relation, and said members are then reciprocated' by. the

action of the cylinders 21. l/Vhen the jfee'tlr ing members are in the,position[lndicatedin" Figs. 2, 4 and 6,the upper surfaces of-the such flcor. As each member 5 ismovedfor;

in a manner to prevent their rol'l'ing'mov ment, and in this way are caused'to exerta] I II I I I 15,. which pro ects through the charging opening; These transverse-rods also project lifting action upon the member'suntil such time as the centers 16 pass the centers ofthese rollers. This lifting movement raises 3 the member 5 and the series of billets in the manner shown in Figs. 7 and8, andfa'lso at the righthand 'side'of Fig. 4, andthereby. gives the entire series of billets an advancing movement through the heating cham bers. After the centers 16 pass-the centers f I I ti'on ofthe rockfshafts 28, to raise and lower of the rollers 17, the yokes 151=willl1pass over the projections 18into thedepression'gllt),as shown in Fig. 9, and the-memberk5;. will fall I t to its former level. During the'freverse' stroke of the cylinder 21, the yokes l'fi and rollers 17 trail freely over the pro]ections 1S and back to their original positions in front of such projections. .The billets are therefore left in their advanced positions during this idle return movement of. the feeders.

As the billets successively come to the position indicated at A in Fig. 2, the neXtforward movement of the feeder will carry the last billet over inclines 22, formed the floor of the heating chamber 3, atthe discharge end thereof, a'nd it will then roll down such inclines to the position indicated at A in Fig. 2. The billet is now in a position to be engaged by the endportion 5 of the feeder upon its next forward stroke, this end portion being at a 'lowerlevel. In this manner, the billet will be automatically pushed out through one of the discharge openings 7, and on to the usual carry-off rollers 23. Theopenings 7 may be closed by pivoted outwardly swinging doors 24, capaby'the billets tojpermit their successive distion aftersuch discharge. I may, however,

, discharge the blanks in any other suitable manner. I Thus, in Fig. 12, I have shown the feeder as arranged to carry the blanks en tirely through the furnace, with inclines22" arranged to discharge on to inclined ways or' skids 22 whlch deliver the blanks to the carry-off rollers 23.

The charging openings 6 are preferably provided with the usual vertically sliding doors 25. I preferably provide means where by these doors will be automatically opened and closed in proper timed relation to the movements of the feeders. This may be accomplishedin various ways. In the; arran'gem'ent' shown, each door has a connection 26 with a crank-arm 27 of a rocker fshaft 28,-1journaled in a suitable bracket 29, secured to the frame of the furnace'at the chargingend thereof. This "shaft has other i crank arms 30, and to each-of'these arms is connected theupper end of a link 31. The 1 links 31 are connected at their lower ends to a transverse rodor sh afti 3.2 ,';which passes extension of the body portion o'f-the feeder through vertically elongated slots34, in the supp'orts'35, at each side of such extension, and upon which supportsthe billets rest before being carried into the furnace.

It willbe readilyseen that as the feeders 'arereciprocatedflhe'rods or shafts 32 will beact'u'ated in a manner'to cause the actua- ,providing'the floorof the heating chanr' 'bers, adjacent to each of'the feeders, with transversely toothed surfaces, such as indicated at 36 in Figs. 6 to 11. The billets when resting on the floor of the chambers rest in the depressions of the teeth in the manner shown in Fig. 6. When they are raised by the action of the feeders to the position shown in Fig. 7, they .will be turned to horizontal position, and when again lowered, will take'a different and partially turned position. In this manner, each billet may be completely turned any desired number of. "times in passing through the heating chambers 3 and 4. v.The advantages ofmy invention are nu- 1,-mercu It provides feeding mechanism by" ,wvhich the billets can be kept in properly spaced relation during their entire travel ble of being pushed outwardly and upwardly through the .furnace' At'each operation of the feeders, the entiregseries of billets within theheating chambers, are simultaneously moved forward and; lowered-without any substantial change, in the spaced relation gthereo f; Therefore, feeding the billets I e at-all times maintained. This sof advantage, since it not only prevents into. the,fi1rnace at proper intervals, a proper spacing that between the feeding intervals, the billets are supported by their end portions only, and there is a free circulation below them and between them and the upper surfaces of the feeders.

4 My invention also obviates to a very great extent hard or black spots on the billets, such as commonly occur when they are pushed through a heating chamber on'watercooled pipes or other supports.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts which I have herein shown'and described, as it will be obvious that various changes can be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims. Thus any suitable motive means may be employed for effecting the reciprocating movement of the feeders, and the means for elevating the feeders as they are reciprocated forwardly may be changed, and various other changes may be made.

I claim:

1. A heating furnace, having a longitudinally movable feeder, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to the feeder, and a lifting member. pivotally connected to the feeder and depending therefrom, the furnace having a fulcrum portion for con.- tact with said member; substantially as described.

2. A heating furnace having a longitudinally movable feeder, means for reciprocating the feeder, wheeled supports upon which the feeder is arranged to travel, and auxiliary supports which travel idly with the feeder at portions of its movement and upon which the feeder fulcrums at another portion of its movement; substantially as described.

3. A heating furnace having a longitudinal trough in the floor of its heating cham ber, a feeder movable longitudinally in said trough, motive means connected to the feeder, and a member pivotally connected to the feeder and arranged to travel on the floor of said trough, said floor havinga fulcruming portion for said member; substantially as described.

4. A heating furnace having a longitudinal trough in the floor of its heating chamber, a feeder movable in said trough, motive means for reciprocating the feeder, and pivoted supporting and lifting members carried by said feeder and also arranged to travel in said trough, the trough having fulcruming portions for engagement with said members; substantially as described.

5. A heating furnace having a longitudinal trough in the floor of its heating chamber, a feeder movablein said trough, motive means for reciprocating the feeder, and pivoted su porting and lifting members carried by sai feeder and also arranged to travel in said trough, the trough having projections on its floor and recesses adjacent to said projections for co-action with said members; substantially as described 6. A heating furnace having a trough in the floor of its heating chamber, a feeder arranged to move in said trough and having rollers which travel on the bottom wall thereof, motive means for reciprocating the feeder, and means carried by said feeder and coiiperatin with the trough to cause a rising and alling movement of the feeder during its reciprocation; substantially as described.

7. A heating furnace having a longitudinal trough, a feeder arranged to move in said trough, and motive means for reciprocating the feeder, a door movable vertically toward and away from the feeder,a shaft extending through a slotted o ening in the outer end portionof the fee er, and operating connections between said shaft and the door; substantially as described.

8. A heating furnace having a longitudinal trough in the floor of its heating chamber, a feeder movable longitudinally in said trough, motive means connected to the feeder, and a member pivotally connected to the feeder and arranged to travel on the floor of said trough, said floor having a fulcruming portion for said member, together with means cooperating with the feeder for imparting a turnin movement to the blanks; substantially as escribed.

9. A heating furnace having a longitudinally movable feeder, supports for said feeder both at its end and intermediate portions,

means for reciprocating the feeder,and other supports which are operative only at certain portions of the movement, together with means whereby said other supports effect a lifting movement of the bar; substantially as described.

10. A heating'furnace having a trough in the floor of its heating chamber, a longitudinally movable feeder working in said trough, and blank-supporting surfaces at each side of the trough, said surfaces having projections for engaging and turning the blank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN ALBERT SWINDELL.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. PARMELEE, H. M. CoRwm. 

